I have certain issues with baby names. As someone who has a strange, unpronounceable name that causes people to pause and stumble – or change into something else on the fly – I have gone through it all. There were many years in grade school that were spent using a different name just to stop the horrible butchering of my birth name.

So yes, I’m a big proponent of naming your children something that will not make you – or your kids – look back and cringe. I’m also a big proponent of both parents having to sign off on the name before it becomes official (if both parents are available) – that would have saved me a lot of name headaches.

I never understood naming your child after a political leader. What if they have different political views than you? What if the politician does something you would rather not have associated with your child? I also don’t understand giving your child a pop star’s name. There is even a greater chance of your child hating your – or the pop star – as they get older. Why torment the child?

And apparently, American baby names generally do agree with me. The top names are all easily pronounceable and don’t have definite ties to one specific person. Of course, there were a lot of Miley’s and Barack’s born this year. And Elvis’s. Let’s hope the children are fans?

I did find it interesting that while male names seem to not change much and stick to Biblical names, girl names are more likely to follow TV fads.